Regaining Light
by Ladystarlet09
Summary: Jane sung like an angel. Her voice held a power that she didn't know about that could attract a long forgotten ancient creature that still lingered upon the shores of what is no longer recognized as Middle Earth. Will she believe that fairy-tales were more true than a mere myth? Where there is lingering darkness, there is always a light at the end of the darkening road. Rated M
1. Chapter 1

_It was the year 2016 and I had been on my way home when I came across the strangest thing that changed my entire life forever._

 _I mean, quite literally, forever._

 _No pun intended_.

~June 4th, 2016~

Bright fireworks scattered across the darkening night sky, lending beauty to those who watched wide-eyed. I drew a deep breath, shouldering my hello kitty blanket more securely about myself as the cooling wind sent a shiver through my body.

It was fourth of July.

Another year to celebrate Independence Day with friends and family over bbq hot dogs, burgers, various cold salads and plenty of selections of various desserts.

I closed my eyes, laying back in my dad's old 1950's Toyoda truck to watch the fireworks that continued to burst into many colors of blue, red, white, gold, purple, green and others. Such a celebration often comes and goes with each passing year, and yet there were times that I had wished the time itself could just stand still for a moment so I could enjoy the beauty of living a life that was tranquil and peaceful.

"Hey, Jane," My mother said as she took a seat beside me. "Why don't you sing a song for us? You always have had a good voice." She smiled when I blushed with obvious embarrassment. "Come on, try it."

"Jeez, mom." I groaned when my four older brothers joined in as well. "I am too full right now to sing. Why don't you have Anthony sing? His voice is way better than mine."

"Sure, sure, sis." He laughed at me from outside the truck while sipping some coke. "But we still think you have the voice of an angel here."

"Shut up!"

"Jane dear," our mother sighed as I and Anthony bantered back and forth as always. "Just please sing for us."

I sighed. I never understood why my family always wanted me to sing out of the five of us siblings, me being the only girl out of four boys and the youngest. Some had told me that I was gifted with having such an angelic like voice that easily moved people's hearts and minds whenever I sung in front of a small crowd or a large formal gathering. But if anything, I knew my voice had its own power.

A power that filled me with its vibrant warmth.

And so I softly began to sing. Tentatively at first, but my voice grew stronger and stronger as I let the words form themselves, creating their own story as my audience sat entranced with my voice.

From afar, a tall, lone figure cloaked in all deep red and green paused amide a grove of trees at the sound of a beautiful voice that he hadn't year in many, if not countless of lifetimes beyond measure. Memorized and intrigued at the same time, the figure followed the sound through the forest until it lead him to a small camping/public picnic area that was filled with various people of all ages, gathered to celebrate the 4th of July.

A celebration that has been forgotten upon mortal memory for endless centuries with the real reason behind it.

As the figure got closer, it saw a young girl with long, black hair and a willow like figure that reminded the person of his people that were just now a mere memory. He watched her, heart pounding as her voice slowly worked its magic into his being.

How long has it been since his ears heard such a voice?

How long has he been wandering this earth since the last of his people took the last ship that sailed to the Undying lands, thus leaving him behind since his heart had been too stubborn to part ways from these shores.

And so he closed his eyes and continued to listen until her voice slowly faded away to wild applause from her audience. He shook himself from his trance, silently ghosting back into the forest once more.

But not before he glanced back once more with a look of longing lingering in his deep grey eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

**I don't know any of LOTR characters as they appear in this story~Ladystarlet09**

"Come on Jane!" Cried one of my friends as we made our way through the long hallways of our college campus. "You are going to be late for chore practice again! This is like going to be the third time that you have done this!"

I scowled darkly. "I really don't feel like singing today, Jessica." I replied while pilfering through my blue backpack, looking for pencil and notepad. "And besides, I need to study for finals. The next chore meeting is the more important of the quarter, so I will attend that one instead."

Jessica gave me a doubtful look. "Are you sure you are coming to that one, Jane?"

"Yes, Jess," I sighed, rolling my eyes. "Now just tell him that I am sick with a tummy ache. I doubt he will even question it."

"Not if you keep missing class, he might." She shot back as she walked away. Once I found what I needed, I grabbed my backpack and purse. Hurrying through the crowded campus, I saw many faces of people I had gotten to known for the past four years of attending Michigan State UC. Some I knew by name, others I didn't know their names, but I knew which group they hung out at, where on campus they enjoyed to study or party and their favorite foods just based of silently observation.

My family were of middle class, a blue-collared working family with one stay-at-home mother and dad working for the government as a paid civilian missiles specialist and vast engineering. I am the youngest of five and the only girl who is often spoiled by all, but at the same time independent. My parents send me money every month to help cover the cost of living, but I mainly work hard at a local cafe as a barista every day, except Sunday to help keep things going. My education is paid off through various scholarships that came from my natural talent of being able to sing.

For as long as I could remember from when I was a very young child, I always had sung. Either it was with my four older brothers when we shared the shower in the mornings or just belting out a few tunes in the car whenever dad took us out shopping or a nice day to drive his old Toyoda truck. We all sung, but I mostly out of all of them.

The late afternoon was still bright with the summer sun lingering in the sky as I hurried off towards the front of the university where I could catch a taxi. Once I was able to successfully wave down one after four failed attempts to catch their attentions, I paid my fare and directed the driver to an address. He gave me an odd look, but didn't' say anything once I gave him the money. After a thirty minute drive or so, we eventually came to a stop in front of a small cottage in another town. Its was nice little one, with various colorful flowers all neatly planted along a white picket fence and tall, weeping willow trees that stood guard at the sides of the house. I bade my driver a goodnight and got out. The front door opened, revealing a small, old white haired lady dressed in a soft blue robe and slippers.

"Ah, Jane!" She smiled as I unlocked the front gate and hurried up towards her. "Its been a while since you last visited me. Are you hungry? I just finished making some chicken dumplings soup. I know that is your favorite and Aunty Ella had requested me to make some for her since her husband wasn't feeling very well as of late."

"Yes, I am very much famished, Mrs. Conner," I smiled brightly, placing a small peck upon her cheek. "It smells good." I added while following her inside. "Were you also baking some gingerbread cookies as well?"

"Oh yes! I made some earlier this morning for tea. It's a good thing that I had a feeling you would be coming by to visit me today or else I would have put it off for another day. Tea?" She offered while bustling me into her small kitchen. I nodded, taking a seat at a small mahogany round table. "I hope you don't mind, but I have another guest coming by to visit. His name is Eric. A nice young man with a love for nature and music..." She trailed off while pouring me a cup of mulberry tea. "Strange thing is that I don't know much about him, and yet I feel like I have known him for a lifetime since our first meeting."

"Really?"

"Yes, you will get that feeling once he arrives."

"Is he cute?" I said before abruptly turning red when I realized the words had slipped out of my mouth too late.

Mrs. Conner chuckled. She tapped me lightly on the nose with her finger. "Of course, very handsome indeed. I sometimes wish I was younger, but that is a thing of the past, dove. Now drink your tea while I get you a bowl of chicken dumpling soup."

I dumped my book bag on the nearest chair. It was days like these that I often didn't regret skipping out a class or two to spend a few blissful hours of quietness and peace with my older friend. She and I had met by chance at the local farmer's market after she accidentally spilled some tea on my favorite blue shirt as I was shopping around for some fresh produce. Normally if it had been under different circumstances, I would have gotten upset and demanded her to apologize. But after seeing how she quickly babbled with tons of apologies and giving me fifteen dollars to replace my shirt, I was instantly charmed by her sweet smile and merry twinkle in her eyes. Her sweet nature almost reminded me of how hobbits were portrayed in Tolkien's world of the Lord of the Rings.

And so it happened that our friendship came steadfast to the point I always made it out of my way during the weekends whenever I wasn't busy with work or school to visit her. She was a widow of ten years with no children of her own, came from England when she was sixteen with her deceased husband after they married unexpectedly before the outbreak of WWII and settled down here since than.

"...the young man, Jane dearest," I dimly heard her say while she moved about the small kitchen. "He invited me to take a walk with him this evening, but my arthritis of the knees is starting to get to me as of late, so since you are here," She placed a bowl of soup along with a platter of saltine crackers to go with it. "You can take my place. I promise you will like him a whole lot!"

"You make it sound like you are trying to match-make us, Mrs. Conner." I replied with a small laugh. "If I had known, perhaps I wouldn't have skipped class to come see you today."

"Why Jane! Why earth would you do such a think like that? Cutting class isn't not good for you!" Mrs. Conner wiggled her finger at me while giving me a disapproving look. "If you miss too much, you will miss out on a lifetime of information."

Doorbell chose to ring unexpectedly, cutting my half-sarcastic reply. I returned my attentions of getting some of my favorite soup into my stomach while she hurried off to answer the door. I heard greet her someone warmly which was answered by a soft-spoken male voice that sent strange shivers down my spine. He sounded almost exotic like as the sounds of footsteps echoed from the parlor area.

"I apologize, Eric," Mrs. Conner was saying as they made their way towards the kitchen. I averted my gaze to my bowl, but my ears remained perked. "But I have bad knees today and it so happens that I have a friend of mine who is here that can actually take my place." Their footsteps paused just under the kitchen door. I swore I could have heard a sharp intake of breath, but wasn't too sure since Mrs. Conner's cheerful chatting was filling up the room.

"Jane, this is Eric. Eric, Jane."

I shyly glanced up to find a tall, very handsome young man with long auburn hair pulled back in a ponytail standing beside her. He was dressed like a biker with black leather coat and blue jeans with leather gloves, which he pulled off slowly. His eyes were this grey color with a hint of blue. I tried to look away from him as he quietly studied me in silence. His mouth was set in a hard line. I nervously ran a hand through my hair, hoping that it didn't look all that bad.

"Hi Eric," I greeted him while holding out a hand his way. Mrs. Conner ushered him forward as she went to fetch another cup of hot tea. He paused for a moment once he was before me before slowly slipping his hand into mine. I bit back a gasp once his skin came into contact with mine. It was unusually warm and slightly calloused as if he had been working hard at some sort of job, but not in an unpleasant way.

"Nice to meet you, Jane." He finally spoke with that exotic accent. He let go of my hand, taking a seat across from me. My cheeks were hot under his sharp gaze. What the heck was wrong with me? Not even two minutes of introductions and I am reduced to being shy teenager once again!

"So, Eric," Mrs. Conner spoke pleasantly after placing a hot cup before him. "How's the new job a the docks going?"

"Slow at first, but I know that business will start picking up in another week once new imports start coming." He replied. I swore I felt his gaze upon me but I refused to let my eyes look up at him as I tried to focus on finishing up my soup that was starting to become cold. "What about you?" He smiled down at me. "Do you work?"

"Yeah, I work at the local town cafe and go to the UC across town."

"Sounds pleasant..." He replied. I didn't say anything else. What could I say when I was being enthralled by this handsome stranger? Now, I could understand why Mrs. Conner wished she was young again. Eric was so handsome, I am sure he must leave a lot of males hurting with their own egos whenever he passed by.

"Jane, why don't you hurry and finish what you can before going on a nice stroll with Eric? The weather is still mild enough, so I don't think you will need to worry about a jacket."

I wished that the floors would open up right there and than. God, she must have thought upon seeing this guy that I would have been the most perfect match in heaven to set up with. I smiled as normal as possible at Eric who just silently tilted his head slightly in acknowledgement while sipping some tea.

God, he is so hot.


End file.
